MLB Player News

Manager Dave Roberts said after Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds that Smith's (knee) removal was precautionary, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith exited the game after getting hit in the left knee by a pitch, though the team isn't concerned about it, and Roberts added that Smith wasn't going to stay in the game for more than another inning anyway. The 29-year-old backstop may get a day off to recover from any lingering soreness, but his Opening Day availability hasn't changed.

Smith was removed from Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds after getting hit in the left knee by a pitch, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Tack on another lower-body injury for Smith, who just made his spring debut last week after beginning camp behind schedule due to a bone bruise in his ankle. He can be considered day-to-day for now, though the Dodgers will presumably take a closer look at him to confirm he didn't suffer any serious damage.

After going 2-for-3 in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Padres, Amaya is now batting an even .500 this spring.

Amaya is 9-for-18 with a home run and two RBI so far in Cactus League play. The 25-year-old is slated to split time behind the plate with offseason acquisition Carson Kelly this season, though Amaya could seize a larger share of playing time if he continues to show progress as a hitter. He finished with an OPS below .700 each of the last two years but flashed more offensive upside as he came up through the minors.

Baldwin has a chance to open the season as Atlanta's starting catcher after Sean Murphy suffered a fractured rib Friday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

The injury will keep Murphy out for the rest of the spring, and at a minimum, he'll be out for the first week or two of the season. Baldwin, the club's top prospect, slashed .276/.370/.423 with 18 home runs between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett in 2024. He is not yet on the 40-man roster, which could work against him if Atlanta is confident Murphy will not miss much time. However, Baldwin offers much more upside than the other catching options in camp (Chadwick Tromp, Sandy Leon and Curt Casali).

Murphy will be out for 4-to-6 weeks after being diagnosed Monday with a fractured rib on his left side, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Murphy suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch Friday, and he will need a stint on the injured list to begin the season. The door is now open for top prospect Drake Baldwin to begin the season as Atlanta's starting catcher. However, Baldwin is not on the 40-man roster, so the club could go with Chadwick Tromp and one of Sandy Leon or Curt Casali if they're confident Murphy's absence will be relatively brief.

Sanchez is away from Orioles camp Monday while he recovers from an illness, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Sanchez will likely need just a couple days off to shake off the illness before returning to action. The 32-year-old is in line to open the season as the Orioles' No. 2 catcher behind Adley Rutschman.

Rortvedt (shoulder) went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in Saturday's 10-1 loss to the Mets in Grapefruit League play.

Rortvedt played for the first time since receiving an injection in his sore right shoulder early last week, though he was limited to a non-defensive role. Per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Rortvedt will be available off the bench again Monday versus Atlanta, but if called upon to play, the 27-year-old will most likely replace starting designated hitter Eloy Jimenez. According to MLB.com, the Rays are targeting Thursday's game versus the Phillies for Rortvedt's return to catching duty, assuming his throwing is no longer compromised by the shoulder issue.

Driscoll has been sidelined after rolling his right ankle and will see a doctor Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Driscoll is on the 40-man roster, but as Topkin notes, Driscoll likely was headed to Triple-A to start the year regardless of health. He slashed .288/.362/.468 with seven home runs in 72 minor-league games a season ago.

Fortes (back) is starting at catcher and batting eighth in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

Fortes was scratched from Sunday's lineup with back spasms but he is evidently over the issue a day later. Fortes is the incumbent behind the dish, while prospect Agustin Ramirez is the higher-upside option who could push Fortes for playing time this summer.

Ramirez continues to work on his defense in an effort to stick as a catcher when he reaches the major leagues, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Acquired from the Yankees in last year's Jazz Chisholm trade, Ramirez's bat has never been in question -- Wednesday, he posted an exit velocity of 115.1 mph, the sixth-fastest hit recorded by any player this spring and a mark topped among 2024 MLB catchers by only William Contreras -- but the 23-year-old still has work to do on his pitch framing, blocking and release time on base-stealing attempts. Ramirez showed up early to camp to try and improve in all those areas, however, and his work ethic has been noticed by the Marlins' coaching staff. "We've been hammering all of it," catching coach Joe Singley said this week. "I think he's super talented, and there's a lot of low hanging fruit there. We're getting him in positions where he can let that athleticism go, slightly adjusting some things to help him block the ball and receive it without having to think about it too much. Just clearing up some positions for him to be an athlete." Ramirez is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Jacksonville, but if Nick Fortes' back issues linger into Opening Day, it could open up a spot for the organization's top catching prospect to make his MLB debut.